Rolls-Royce prepares to take flight in Prince George

Sunday

With the economy the way it is, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief about the future of the Tri-Cities.

With the economy the way it is, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief about the future of the Tri-Cities.

The region’s largest private economic development project is expected to start construction in September. It has been awhile since the Nov. 20, 2007 announcement that British aerospace giant Rolls-Royce PLC planned to build a production-and-testing facility for next-generation jet aircraft engines to Prince George.

During the announcement, we were told the first facility would be slated to open in 2009. Since then, Rolls-Royce has acquired the 1,000-plus-acre parcel in Prince George County and county approval has been given to the project that represents a total investment of $500 million and a total payroll of 500 workers. Even some site work on the property has been done, but no real construction has taken place.

Of course, since the announcement the nation’s and the world economy has tanked into a deep recession. The banking crisis led to a freeze on credit and financing – the things you need to build major projects.

Not to worry, apparently.

British aerospace giant Rolls-Royce PLC says it is “absolutely committed” to building and then running the facilities, but the plans may be subject to adjustments, according to Bob Stoddart, who is in charge of the project,

Fortunately, the British firm had a strong back order for its products and was in good financial position to whether the economic storm.

“We’re fortunate we’ve entered the downturn in a cash-positive position,” Stoddart said, because the company will be receiving construction bids and looking for labor at a time when both of those markets are soft, potentially lowering costs.

Construction at Rolls-Royce Crosspointe LLC — the name of the company’s project off Bull Hill Road near U.S. Highway 460 and Interstate 295 — is expected to begin in September

That is phenomenal economic news for the region.

The only major change is that the order of the project has been shuffled.

Originally, the company planned to build and open an engine assembly and testing plant first, to be followed by a factory for engine components. But now the components plant — which will make discs for large engines of the type used on jumbo and superjumbo jets — will come first.

“The first facility on this site will not be an engine assembly and test plant, it will be a manufacturing facility,” Stoddart said. “The time scale has remained the same, as has the commitment.”

The components plant will employ about 150 people when production begins.

The company will later add a plant to make “blisks,” combined blades and discs used in high-performance military engines, such as those that will power the proposed Joint Strike Fighter. Construction on that facility currently is planned to start around September 2010, but the actual timing will depend on market conditions, Stoddart said.

Construction of the third phase, the assembly and test plant, is planned to start a year later in 2011, but the actual date will be determined by demand for those services.

Rolls-Royce expects to start construction of all three facilities within the next three to four years and have them finished within five to six years.

And there is even the possibility of future growth at the site in the not-so-near future. That is even more positive news for the region.

Along with Fort Lee, the Rolls Royce project is one of the two major economic engines — please pardon the pun — for this region. Knowing that Rolls Royce is ready to take off with construction this fall is a major boost to our area.

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